Hawaii is home to some of the most amazing sunsets in the world, but Mauna Kea takes the cake for the best vantage point to gaze off into the horizon as the sun slowly sinks away. From a perch above the clouds, it’s truly a one-of-a-kind experience to feel like you’re standing in the on top of the world, above the clouds.
Differing from the classic beachfront Hawaii experience, a trip up to Mauna Kea will wow in a completely different fashion. Being at the summit of any mountain is a humbling feeling, but the cultural significance of Mauna Kea makes this adventure even more special.
Big Island is known for its biodiversity, and nothing showcases that like going from a sandy beach to a snowy mountain top in right around two hours. Throw a jacket in with your bathing suit and add Mauna Kea to your Big Island bucket list!
Did Ya Know?
Mauna Kea towers 13,796 feet above sea level; however, it is actually, the tallest mountain on the planet. While it’s height is certainly impressive, at just under 14,000 feet, one might mistakenly assume it’s not even the tallest mountain in North America. This isn’t wrong per se, but it does discount where Mauna Kea sets her roots. The 13,796 feet above sea level is truly just the tip of the iceberg as she stretches another 18,900 to reach the ocean floor. When you consider the height in total, Mauna Kea is a staggering 32,696 feet tall!
How Long to Spend
Allotting 3-5 hours at Mauna Kea should allow you to see everything you want, without feeling rushed. What you’re hoping to do also dictates your time as well. If you’re just looking to catch the sunset, you’ll need less time than someone hoping to do a bit of hiking. We’ll break down more of the time constraints below. Just as a note, depending on where you’re coming from, it takes about an hour to get to the Mauna Kea Visitor Center from either Kona or Hilo.
What to Bring
Even in the summer months, it is cold at the top of Mauna Kea. While you don’t usually think of throwing a jacket in your luggage when you’re headed to Hawaii, if you’re planning on visiting Mauna Kea, bringing a jacket is a must! Keeping with the theme of warmth, you will want some closed-toe shoes and pants on as well. If you’re planning on being up there for a while or doing any amount of hiking around, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a chapstick with SPF, extra water, and a snack (or two) are all highly recommended.
Don’t Be a Tacky Tourist
Mauna Kea, in particular the summit, is considered a very holy place. At the top of the mountain there is a “true summit” area, and it is extremely disrespectful to go wandering over to this region of the summit. This summit area is set apart from the general area that tourists gather, but there isn’t excessive signage warning wandering tourists away. To avoid making this mistake, know this “true summit” area is the first hilltop you see to your right as you reach the top of the mountain. It has a small altar-like structure, you can see from afar.
In this same vein, trail etiquette is above averagely important if you elect to do any hiking. Do not go wandering off the trail and largely try to leave your footprint on this volcanic mountain as small as possible.
The Mauna Kea Highlights
In general, the key stops on Mauna Kea are the Visitor Information Center (VIS), a hike to Lake Waiau, the Summit, and star-gazing back down at the VIS after sunset. You can roughly plan to spent about an hour for each— plus the drive from the VIS up to the summit (and back down) takes about 30 min, due to the grade and road conditions.
Visitor’s Information Center
Cool your jets and acclimate to the altitude at a refreshing 9,200 feet. Mauna Kea is unique in that you can start your morning with your toes in the water and be almost 14,000 feet up in the air about two hours later. This is some serious elevation change for a body to accustom itself to, so if you’re planning on going all the way to the summit, a stop at the VIS is highly recommended to help ensure you’ll tolerate the rest of the altitude climb well. Altitude sickness is no joke*!
*The trek to the summit is not for everyone. Children under the age of 13 are affected more significantly by the changes in altitude and as such are discouraged from going. Additionally, pregnant women as well as individuals with any cardiac or respiratory health concerns should refrain from pursuing the higher altitude vantage point.
*Most importantly, you should NOT plan on visiting Mauna Kea within 24 hours of scuba diving. The adaptations your body makes to tolerate the pressure changes whilst diving require time to acclimate before they can adjust again to tolerate the altitude of the mountain. You don’t want to end up with “the bends”!
There’s a short, unmarked hike that starts across from the VIS and takes you up to a viewpoint of Mauna Loa. If you have the time, it’s a nice opportunity to take in the neighboring peak but also assess if you’ll be able to do a bit longer hike to Lake Waiau at elevation.
Hike to Lake Waiau
If you’re an avid hiker and the elevation doesn’t scare you, leave 1.5-2 hours before sunset to make time for a detour. On your way up, stop at the third gravel parking lot, just past mile marker 7, to find the trail to Lake Waiau. This isn’t what you’d call a popular or frequently traveled trail, but there should be a visible path to follow.
The hike is about 1.5 miles round trip, but if you’re not used to hiking at elevation, you may find this short hike a bit more challenging than expected. Lake Waiau is considered a sacred space, so taking the effort to see this unique natural phenomenon is special.
The Summit
A 4WD or AWD vehicle is required to make the climb up the access road to the summit of the mountain. Before you embark up the steep leg from the VIS to the top, a ranger will check your car to ensure your car has the capacity to make it both up and down as well as the gas (at least ½ a tank).
From the VIS, the summit is only 8 miles, but due to the grade and unpaved road, it will take another 30 minutes to reach the summit. We recommend leaving the VIS to head up at least an hour before sunset (definitely leave earlier if you plan to do the above Lake Waiau hike), so you can walk around a bit and snag yourself a good spot to watch the sunset.
Between the five of us, we’ve driven up a handful of times, so it’s nothing to be scared of, you just definitely want to make sure you are prepared when you’re planning your trip! If navigating the car situation sounds too intimidating for you, there’s various commercial tour services available to choose from. Most will provide you with a ride as well as a nice warm jacket, so you don’t have to worry about packing that!
Once you’re at the summit, it’s showtime!It’s rather amazing to be able to walk around, on a perch above the clouds, but it’s truly breath-taking to watch the sun set from almost 14,000 feet up in the sky.
As a note, if you’re renting a car and are considering taking it to Mauna Kea, check with the rental car agency to ensure you are permitted to do so, as some specifically state they do not want their vehicles taken up to the summit.
star-gazing before you go
After the sun has set, rangers usher everyone back down the mountain as the cars’ headlights can negatively affect the telescopes’ performance. On the way down, there are three parking lots you can pull into. These are useful for a few reasons. First and foremost, the descent is steep, so you will be giving your breaks a workout. Allowing them to cool down in a parking lot for a few minutes is highly encouraged. This brake cool-down break is the perfect opportunity to lay down on the ground and look up at the stars. There is no light pollution, and it is a breathtaking view on a clear night.
There is telescope viewing done at the VIS, if you want to get an up-close view. While you can see the stars well at the top of Mauna Kea, you may actually see them a bit better at the lower elevation as the decreased oxygen present at the summit can make your vision slightly less acute.
Pro-trip: if you plan on stargazing at the visitor’s center, park in the spots facing AWAY from the visitor’s center. Car headlights are rather disruptive to people trying to stargaze and star-gazing enthusiasts will get feisty with you.
Onto Your Next Great Adventure
If you loved the volcanic mountain that is Mauna Kea, Hawaii Volcano National Park is the next must visit stop on your Big Island road trip. Big Island is comprised of six volcanoes, but Kīlauea is the only one that is intermittently active. Definitely worth checking out, but especially if she is currently erupting!
Big Island holds so much opportunity for adventure— we’ve curated a Four-Day Itinerary as well as a One Week Itinerary, to help you make the most of your time! Happy travels!
written by McKenna
If you look up diva in the dictionary, you will find a picture of McKenna Lee. Loud-mouthed and overly opinionated she may have the biggest personality (read: attitude) of us all. McKenna is in college at FGCU studying digital media design and is mere months away from being a college graduate! She lives for days spent in a bathing suit, and tries to go surfing in every new beach town she visits.
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[…] you loved the volcanic landscape in the Hawai’i National Volcano Park, Mauna Kea is the next must visit stop on your Big Island road trip. Big Island is comprised of six volcanoes, […]
[…] of the Waipi’o Valley, you must head south to keep exploring. In a world above the clouds, Mauna Kea offers an unparalleled view of the stars. Even further south, the Hawaii Volcano National Park […]